HOPE — Families in northeast Bartholomew County who have suddenly lost a sizable amount of income are getting some extra help.
The Hope Town Council has agreed to provide a total of $3,000 as a donation to the town’s food pantry.
Using economic development income tax revenue, the funds will be paid to the pantry at a rate of $1,000 a month from now through June, according to a motion made Tuesday by Hope Town Councilman Clyde Compton.
“All we can do is hope and pray that this will take care of (the need),” Compton said. All money provided to the Hope Food Pantry is used to purchase food and hygiene products, the center’s website states.
The pantry, which operates out of the Community Center of Hope at 543 Washington St., will receive the funds on the fourth Friday of each month, Compton said. The center pays for all of the pantry’s operational expenses, the website states.
The food pantry is available to anyone living in Haw Creek or Flat Rock townships who are in need. Regular pantry supporters include a number of community churches and the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp.
In addition, the pantry’s endowment has a multitude of donors who have helped keep the amount of financial support growing.
The decision by the town council was made about a week after it was revealed that 3,840 claims for unemployment insurance were filed in Bartholomew County between the weeks ending March 21 and April 4.
Council members have long acknowledged that, on average, Hope residents are not as financially secure as those residing in Columbus.
According to the latest census data, families in Hope have a median household income of $49,922. That is about 20% lower than the comparative median figure of $60,152 earned by families in Columbus.
Even before the crisis, the data was showing 6.3% of Hope residents living in poverty, while 6% had no health insurance.
“So the need of the food banks have totally increased,” Compton said.
The council member also cited a recent news report that half of all individuals who have picked up items at food banks in the past month have never sought that type of assistance before in their lives.
